OSCAR Pistorius has said he shot his model girlfriend because he thought she was a robber.
The gold-medal winner, known as the Blade Runner, is accused of murdering Reeva Steenkamp at his home in Pretoria, South Africa on Thursday.
Pistorius’ lawyer read out a statement in court which gave his version of the events that led to Ms Steenkamp’s death.
The 26-year-old denied murder and said the couple were “deeply in love”.
In the statement, the defendant said he felt vulnerable because he was not wearing his prosthetic legs. He claimed he fired his gun into the bathroom, but then realised Ms Steenkamp was not in his bed.
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June Steenkamp, center, the mother of Reeva Steenkamp, arrives for her funeral in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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June Steenkamp, third left, the mother of Reeva Steenkamp, greets people after she and others attend her funeral, in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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Barry Steenkamp, left, the father of Reeva Steenkamp, attends her funeral in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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Barry Steenkamp, third right, the father of Reeva Steenkamp, leaves, after attending her funeral, in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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Sharon Steenkamp, second right, the cousin of Reeva Steenkamp, arrives for her funeral in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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A woman holds a photo of Reeva Steenkamp, as she leaves her funeral in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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Mike Steenkamp, the uncle of Reeva Steenkamp, reacts as he speaks to the media after attending her funeral in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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Barry Steenkamp, third left, the father of Reeva Steenkamp, greets people as he and others attend her funeral, in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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South African rugby player Francois Hougaard, left, arrives for the funeral of Reeva Steenkamp in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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Reeva Steenkamp's casket arrives ahead of her funeral ceremony in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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Barry Steenkamp, the father of Reeva Steenkamp, leaves his home to attend her funeral ceremony in Port Elizabeth
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Mike Steenkamp, the uncle of Reeva Steenkamp, centre, speaks to an unidentified man, holding a photo of Reeva, after her funeral in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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Adam Steenkamp, centre left, the brother of Reeva Steenkamp, walks with family members after attending her funeral, in Port Elizabeth, South Africa
“It filled me with horror and fear,” Pistorius said.
Upon realising his mistake, he put on his legs, walked towards the bathroom and broke down the locked door with a cricket bat.
The couple went to sleep shortly after 10pm, Pistorius said, but in the middle of the night he woke up and thought an intruder had climbed in through his bathroom window.
He said he grabbed a 9mm pistol - which he kept under his bed after receiving death threats - and made his way in the darkness towards the bathroom door.
“As I didn’t have my prosthetic legs on I was vulnerable,” he said. “I fired a shot at the toilet door and shouted to Reeva to call the police.”
